This essay explores Babylonian scribal education during the 2nd millennium BCE, with a particular focus on literary aspects within educational exercises. I seek to understand the intricacies of the curriculum and the inclusion of literary texts. Traditional scribal exercise texts indicate a pragmatic pedagogy that focuses on grammar, form, and style to create proficient scribes. The incorporation of literary texts into these school exercises demonstrates the broader cultural context of the time. Progression from scribal schoolwork to eventual original composition is evident in the creation of the Babylonian flood epic, Atram-hasis, by scribal student, Ipiq-Aya. The interaction between a scribe’s academic pursuits and creative expression calls to mind Theo van den Hout's observation in Back to School in Babylonia, in which he compares reading to “dreaming with eyes wide open” (Van Den Hout 2023, 7). Within this essay, I will examine the synthesis between practical exercises and the use of literary works in the scribal curriculum.
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